WHOOPING COUGH AND ITS HOMEOPATHIC MANAGEMENT

                                                                WHOOPING COUGH

DEFINITION:-

            Whooping cough is an acute infectious disease causes by Bordetella pertussis virus and characterized by  a peculiar, paroxysmal cough, ending in a prolonged, crowning inspiration.

CAUSES AND TRANSMISSION:-

-          The disease is mainly caused by Bordetella pertussis virus.

-          The disease occurs in infants and young children usually below 5 years of age.

-          The infection spreads by droplet infection and by direct contact.

-          More often found in winter and spring season.

INCUBATION PERIOD:-

              The whooping cough incubation period ranges between 7 – 14 days.

PATHOLOGY:-

              There is an inflammation of the respiratory mucous membrane, but nothing peculiar. The paroxysmal cough is caused from irritation of the pneumogastric nerve.

SYMPTOMS:-

-          The main symptom is typical paroxysmal cough.

-          The cough is short, sharp expiratory barks followed by a long drawn noisy inspiratory ‘whoop’.

-          During the cough the face is flushed, eyes are congested, tongue is protruded and the lip turn blue due to cyanosis.

-          The paroxysmal cough occur in quick succession till the child vomits or expels out little sticky mucoid sputum.

-          The paroxysmal cough leaves the child much exhausted and listless.

-          The disease may be mistaken for a simple cough or upper respiratory tract infection until the typical paroxysmal cough appears.

COMPLICATIONS:-

-          Subconjuctival hemorrhage.

-          Bronchopneumonia.

-          Pneumothorax.

-          Convulsions.

-          Otitis media.

-          Prolapse of rectum.

-          Retarded growth and development in undernourished children.

TREATMENT:-

-          Protect child from colds.

-          Give good nutritious food.

-          The drug of choice is Erythromycin. 50 mg daily for 14 days.

-          Cough sedative such as methadone, etc.

-          Cortisone in severe cases.

-          For preventive purpose anti vaccination DTP for pertussis, diphtheria and tetanus.

HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES:-

1.       ACONITE:-

  First remedy in inflammations, inflammatory fevers. Hoarse, dry, croupy cough; loud, labored breathing. Acute, sudden, and violent invasion, with fever, call for it. Fears the future, a crowd, crossing the street.  Coryza much sneezing; throbbing in nostrils. Red, hot, flushed, swollen. Red, dry, constricted, numb, prickling, burning, stinging. Child grasps at throat every time he coughs. Very sensitive to inspired air.

2.       BELLADONNA:-

   Great children's remedy. Red, bluish-red, hot, swollen, shining; convulsive motion of muscles of face. Tingling in tip of nose. Coryza; mucus mixed with blood. Barking cough, whooping cough, with pain in stomach before attack, with expectoration of blood. Tickling, short, dry cough; worse at night.

3.       CARBO VEG:-

  Cough with itching in larynx; spasmodic with gagging and vomiting of mucus. Whooping cough, especially in beginning. Spasmodic cough, bluish face, offensive expectoration, neglected pneumonia.Coryza with cough, especially in moist, warm weather.

4.       CINA:-

  Violent recurring paroxysms, as of down in throat. It is excellent remedy for Whooping-cough. Child is afraid to speak or move for fear of bringing on paroxysm of coughing. After coughing, moaning, anxious, gasps for air and turns pale. Itching of nose all the time. Bores at nose till it bleeds. Pale, hot, with dark rings around eyes.

5.       COCCUS  CACTI:-

  Whooping cough attacks end with vomiting of this tough mucus. Suffocative cough; worse, first waking, with tough, white mucus, which strangles. Spasmodic morning cough. Sensation of a crumb behind larynx must swallow continually; brushing teeth causes cough. Constant hawking from enlarged uvula; Coryza, with inflamed fauces; accumulation of thick viscid mucus, which is expectorated with great difficulty.

6.       CUPRUM MET:-

    Whooping-cough, better, swallow water, with vomiting and spasms and purple face. Suffocative attacks, worse 3 am [Am. c.]. Spasm and constriction of chest; spasmodic asthma, alternating with spasmodic vomiting. Cough as a gurgling sound, better by drinking cold water. Vomiting relieved by drinking cold water; with colic, diarrhoea, spasms. Distorted, pale bluish, with blue lips.

7.       DROSERA:-

   Affects markedly the respiratory organs and was pointed out by Hahnemann as the principal remedy for whooping-cough. Spasmodic, dry irritative cough, like whooping-cough, the paroxysms following each other very rapidly; can scarcely breathe; chokes. Harassing and titillating cough in children - not at all through the day, but commences as soon as the head touches the pillow at night.

8.       IPECACUANHA:-

   Yearly attacks of difficult shortness of breathing. Whooping-cough, with nosebleed, and from mouth. Suffocative cough; child becomes stiff, and blue in the face. Chest seems full of phlegm, but does not yield to coughing. Hoarseness, especially at end of a cold. Cough incessant and violent, with every breath.

9.       KALI CARB:-

   Dry, hard cough about 3 am, with stitching pains and dryness of pharynx. Hoarseness and loss of voice. Expectoration must be swallowed; cheesy taste; copious, offensive, lump. Nose stuffs up in warm room. Nosebleed on washing face in morning.

10.   NUX VOMICA:-

   Tight, dry hacking cough; at times with bloody expectoration. Cough brings on bursting headache and bruised pain in epigastric region. Cough, with sensation as if something were torn loose in chest. Catarrhal hoarseness, with scraping in throat. Coryza: fluent in daytime; stuffed up at night and outdoors; or alternates between nostrils. Cannot bear noises, odors, light, etc.

11.   PULSATILLA:-

  Dry cough in evening and at night; must sit up in bed to get relief; and loose cough in the morning, with copious mucus expectoration. Short breath, anxiety, and palpitation when lying on left side. [Phos.]. Expectoration bland, thick, bitter, greenish.Coryza; stoppage of right nostril, pressing pain at root of nose. Yellow mucus; abundant in morning.

12.   VERATRUM ABUM:-

  Loud barking, stomach cough, followed by eructation of gas; worse, warm room. Much mucus in bronchial tubes that cannot be coughed up. Chronic bronchitis in the aged. [Hippozanin.], Cough comes on from drinking, especially cold water; urine escapes when coughing. Hollow cough, tickling low down, with blue face. Cough on entering warm room from cold air. [Bryonia.]

 Some of other drugs are antimonium tart, calc carb, dulcamera, hepar sulph, and mephitis.